


Day Four: Niagara to Cleveland

by pianoforeplay



Series: Pavement Tune [1]
Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-24
Updated: 2011-10-24
Packaged: 2017-10-24 22:02:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/268357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pianoforeplay/pseuds/pianoforeplay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For the prompt 'dusk'; initially posted <a href="http://pianoforeplay.livejournal.com/25630.html">here</a> on 9/21/09.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Day Four: Niagara to Cleveland

**Author's Note:**

> For the prompt 'dusk'; initially posted [here](http://pianoforeplay.livejournal.com/25630.html) on 9/21/09.

They grab dinner at a seafood place just south of Buffalo and get back on the road an hour or so later, Sadie and Harley panting happily in the back. They have Jensen's iPod on shuffle, Kenny Chesney drifting into Stevie Ray Vaughan into Tom Petty as they head towards Cleveland, thick trees lining both sides of the highway, forcing a kind of tunnel vision of nothing but road and sky and dulled sunlight.

Jared yawns and rubs a hand over his face, squints against the glare of the low-hanging sun.

"You good?" Jensen murmurs next to him.

Nodding, Jared rolls his shoulders back and sits up straighter. "'m good," he says, reaches up to adjust the visor.

"Here.” Jensen tosses over a pair of sunglasses and Jared catches them against his thigh and slips them on.

They fall into a comfortable silence for awhile as the road curves and winds before Jensen starts quietly singing along to Fleetwood Mac under his breath, beats a rhythm against his thigh.

"Hey, you gotta take a piss?" Jared asks as they pass into Ohio, a sign up ahead advertising a McDonald's, Subway and Marathon station. "Should get some gas."

They still have a quarter tank, more than enough to get them to Cleveland, but Jared knows it's always cheaper outside the big cities. Not that it really matters; both he and Jensen have more than enough money to ever worry about gas prices these days, but it's habit.

Jensen stretches his arms out in front of him and sucks in a breath. "Yeah, couldn't hurt.”

Jared eases into the exit lane, hangs a right at the top of the ramp. The Marathon station is less than a mile down the road and he pulls up to the nearest pump, kills the ignition as Jensen slips out to use the bathroom.

As the tank fills, Jared walks around to the rear of the Suburban, pops the back window so Harley and Sadie can stick their noses out and breathe in some fresh air.

"We'll let you guys out in a minute," he promises, letting Harley lap sloppily at his fingers.

The pump clicks off just as Jensen gets back and they switch places, Jared disappearing into the station to empty his bladder and grab a few strips of Starbursts and half a liter of water.

When he gets back, Jensen has both dogs out on their leashes, trunk door yawning wide.

"They wouldn't stop whining," he says in explanation and Jared quirks a grin, not doubting him for a minute as he grabs the empty plastic bowl from the back and uncaps the water bottle.

Harley and Sadie dance at their feet, tails wagging and tongues lolling.

"Hey, hey, okay," he says softly, stepping forward to nudge them with his knees until they sit. They both dive for the bowl when Jared sets it down and gives the okay, Sadie getting in first and taking her fill before letting Harley slop up the rest.

After, Jared shakes out the last few dribbles and tosses the bowl back into the car, nods over at Jensen. "Should let 'em run for awhile," he says, shutting the trunk closed and pocketing his keys before Jared hands him Harley's leash.

There's a field behind the gas station, a huge stretch of tall, wild grass and Jared unclips Harley's leash when they reach the edge of it, Jensen doing the same with Sadie. Harley bounds free immediately, biting and snapping at the longer strands of grass while Sadie jogs out after him, carefully inspecting the unfamiliar territory.

Jared wanders after them, Sadie’s leash looped around one hand. It's still warm out, humidity making the air sticky and Jared can already feel a line of sweat trickling down the center of his back. But it's cooling steadily, dusk settling in, soothing the air.

"Should be there in about an hour or so," Jensen says, walking alongside him and Jared nods, kicks at a clump of grass with the toe of his flip-flops.

"'less I get us lost."

"Again," Jensen agrees with a quirk of a grin. "Swear to God, I'm gonna break down and buy a goddamn GPS before we hit Chicago."

Narrowing his eyes, Jared fights a smile. "I'll know," he says.

"I'll hide it," Jensen replies and when Jared only arches an eyebrow, he adds, "in my ass."

Jared lifts the sunglasses off his nose and tucks them onto his head as he shoots Jensen a grin. Says, "Dude, don't make me start up a daily strip search."

"Ooh, all the more reason!" Jensen replies, flashing his own smile and Jared feels his heart trip and stomach flutter. He knows it's ridiculous; nothing more than their old, familiar rapport, but years of no longer engaging in it everyday has left him more than a little rusty. Off kilter.

If Jensen notices the hesitation, he doesn't say anything and Jared thumbs back at the gas station. "Guess maybe I should pick up some rubber gloves before we leave here," he says and Jensen barks out a laugh before punching his arm.

“Perv.”

“Dick.”

The tension in Jared's gut eases then as he rubs at the skin and they both go quiet, settle into the silence of the open field and the hum of distant, passing cars. The sky is a watercolor painting above them, a canvas of orange and pink and blue and Jared breathes it in, feels every perfect second in the tips of his fingers.

"Hey, c'mon," Jensen says sometime later, voice warm and quiet before grinning slow. "Got a long night ahead if you're gonna get us lost again."

And just like that, the spell is broken, Jared snorting a laugh as he kicks at Jensen's leg.

"Hey, kids, let's go!" Jensen shouts as he dodges, smiling back over his shoulder, wide and happy and everything Jared's been missing for the last five years.

 **end.**


End file.
